zin3 zin3 ging1 ging1戰戰兢兢战战兢兢
Jyutpingzin3 zin3 ging1 ging1
Yalejin jin gīng gīng
Definition
Trembling with fear; being extremely cautious or wary out of fear.
neutralemotiondescriptions
How it's used
This idiom describes a state of being extremely cautious or nervous, often because one is afraid of making a mistake or facing consequences. It is frequently used to describe someone performing a delicate task or dealing with a strict superior. Unlike simple fear, it implies a sense of walking on eggshells.
Examples
He walked across that broken bridge with fear and trepidation.
Why are you so nervous? It is not like you did something wrong.
Related words
Common phrases
to do something with extreme caution
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a verb, but it is an adjective that usually requires the adverbial particle 咁 to modify a following verb. It is not used to describe simple excitement or general nervousness.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
